


From the Horse's Mouth

by alexcat



Category: Original Work
Genre: Christmas, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 08:36:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8837782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat
Summary: Annie hears a sound in the barn.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This story is for Engarian. It is based on the legend that animals can miraculously speak at midnight on Christmas Eve.

She was alone this year, all of her family either gone or living elsewhere. She pulled her coat around her as she looked out the window. It was cold and snowy tonight, a beautiful Christmas if a person were surrounded by friends and family. All alone as she was, it was just cold to her.

As she looked out the window, she thought she saw something move out toward the barn. She worried about coyotes getting in the barn with the horses. Only one of the seven was hers. She boarded horses for extra income and she took her job as their guardian seriously. 

She grabbed the rifle from behind the kitchen door, where it waited for such occurrences, and headed out to check out what she saw. 

The barn was quiet when she went in. She walked by each stall and patted each horse, speaking gently to every one as she touched a soft nose or patted a silky face. Her horse, Apollo, was in the last stall. She pulled an apple from her pocket for him. He ate it happily. When she turned to go, she heard someone speak. She wheeled around, gun held at the ready. 

“Who’s there?” She called out. 

“Don’t be afraid.” The voice sounded as if it came from Apollo’s stall. 

“Who’s there? Tell me or I’ll call the sheriff.” 

“It’s me, Annie. Apollo.”

Her heart was pounding with - fear? No, not quite.

“Horses can’t talk. Come on out. I won’t shoot, but I am going to call 911.”

“I don’t have much time, so listen to me. You’re never alone. All the love that you’ve ever known surrounds you tonight, and every night. People may leave by choice or by fate but their love lingers, all around you. Not only that but we love you, too.” 

Astonishingly, she heard murmured voices from all over the stable. 

“Why are you telling me this?” She whispered. 

“Because everyone needs a miracle in their life, just once, so they know that such things are real.”

Annie stepped close to Apollo and touched his face. 

“Go back inside where it’s warm. And remember the love. Always remember the love,” he told her.


End file.
